Rodgers Chevrolet will unveil the first ZL1 with a full suspension upgrade: Foundational Bushes, Lowering Coils Complete with Ride Height Sensor Rods and ZL1 specific sway bars at Noon May 12 in Woodhaven Michigan.

That is an OEM ZL1 rear coil on the left. The Pedders coil on the right is .6mm thicker wire. What is really interesting is that Chevrolet now has coil wrap in the same place on the ZL1 rear coils that Pedders has been using on our lowering coils since 2009. If I didn't know better I would say that both coils were made at Pedders. At this time, only the red coil on the right is made at Pedders

Why would you lower a car that is already incredibly fast in the turns as was clearly demonstrated at the Ring? Let me count the ways How about just the highlights?

The fender gap and minimum road clearances used at GM for the Vette and ZL1 are aggressive for an OEM. As performance tuned as the ZL1 is, Pedders as an aftermarket company can do things GM won't do. Lowering the ZL1 just an inch will have the bottom of the front spoiler / fascia 4.5" off the ground. That is pretty low and it will scrape on a good range of driveways and speed bumps. The driver will have to use a very gentle approach angle to navigate them. A Pedders driver knows this and doesn't mind it. Most new car buyers would not tolerate it.

Lowering the car will lower the CG and improve handling. Raising the coil rates a bit will do the same. The MRC system will still measure and adjust the same 1,000 times per second. The MRC front struts on the Escalade and Denali respond very well to Pedders Lowering Coils. The CTS-V does the same with lowering coils. Expect your ZL1 to do it better.

Add a Pedders 32mm rear Z bar and adjustable 27mm front bar as upgrades to the 25mm front and 28mm rear bars on the ZL1 to wring a bit more out of the ZL1 in hard turns and hard launches. My guess is that the Camaro TEAM looked at very similar bars and bar ratios. They came to the conclusion that for all round use, for optimal customer satisfaction and longevity of the rear lower control arms and rear sway bar mounting points a 28mm solid bar was perfect. Pedders clients will not complain if they need new lower control arms at 75,000 miles because the droplink mounting area in the bottom of the arm is fatigued. Many OEM customers would complain if that happened at 150,000 miles. They also will never know just how well a 5th Gen can corner with the Pedders maxed out bars.

The Camaro TEAM upgraded the sub-frame bushes for 2012 and then again for the ZL1. Why did they stop where they stopped with the ZL1? They came to the conclusion that for all round use, for optimal customer satisfaction and longevity the denser hockey puck hard front sub-frame bushes were the limit. Pedders drivers want more. So we deliver it. Our EP1200 kit first the 2010 / 2011 5th Gen with some thin fingers on the ends of the bushes. Those fingers are removed for the ZL1, but we still install 95% of the EP1200 bush kit by weight.

Fill the void in your ZL1 Radius Bush with Pedders EP6579

Rear Camber is corrected with Pedders eXtreme Range Camber Eccentrics. They are the cadmium plated eccentrics just beneath the exhaust.

Check out the ZL1 specific sway front sway bar.

The Camaro TEAM has made so many improvements to the ZL1 it is hard to keep track of them. It is good to see that the Camaro TEAM is following Pedders advice in the IRS. They have improved the sub-frame bushes, more on this in a later post, and addressed the compliance in the Toe Links.

The steel ferule bonded rubber bush that has been and is used on all other models was too compliant. To address this the ZL1 comes with new bushes.

These are are larger steel jacketed bushes with rubber encapsulated rose joints similar to those used in the hub where the rear upper and lower control arms bolt up. They are similar to Heim joints or spherical bearings in function, but encapsulated in rubber will provide years and years of quiet operation as they are protected from dirt and debris. You could call this the Super Duty 5th Gen Toe Link

The bad news for us at Pedders and other aftermarket companies is the new arms are too good If you have a ZL1 coming you will not need Pedders toe link bushes. If your 5th Gen isn't a ZL1, the new toe links are available as an upgrade from your local Chevrolet Dealer P/N 22845487. While you are at the Rodgers Chevrolet Camaro Event, stop by and see Maureen. She can hook you up with the TEAM Camaro's ZL1 Toe Links for your LT or SS.

Aside from pictures of the completed ZL1 you probably want to know how a Pedderised ZL1 drives. When you start with a ZL1 how could the drive be anything short of amazing?

I didn't think ZL1 could look much better, but it does with the little drop!

WELL DONE, PETE!!!

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"...What IS true: We anticipated that this would happen - we are never finished - and yes, Ford DOES deserve to win now and then. To think that GM can come out with a car to make ford throw in the towel is simply foolhardy..." - fbodfather

Pete great work and write up. When will you have this avaiable to
the shops to purchase and the costs involved? For people (not
Me), but for some others, will these items still keep thier cars
under warranty? Thanx again.